These specials are literally going to kill me and I’m being serious. Because I’m so…overkill when I write reviews, just writing about an 11 minute episode can take…a while. So a 22-minute episode? Kill me now. Doesn’t help that I could hardly remember anything about “SpongeBob’s Last Stand”, so a close rewatch was necessary. The only real thing I remembered about this episode prior to rewatching was that it had an environmental message, that even though it was thrown in your face still didn’t feel effective. Which is crazy to me considering that the entire concept of this show lends itself to environmental messaging.
This episode sees Jellyfish Fields play a pretty prominent role, which I’m happy about because it feels like we haven’t seen this location in a while, or even if we have, we haven’t spent very much time with it. Whether that’s true or not, I do not know, and I’m not about to open up the wiki to find out. This first bit of the episode also grants us some gorgeous backgrounds, so I’m a fan immediately. Unfortunately, this being a fan thing does not quite carry over for the rest of these first few minutes. The part with SpongeBob + Patrick and the park ranger is…okay. But nothing special. And then of course we get a song for not even a single reason. At least the singing isn’t annoying. It actually reminds me a lot of the Krabby Patty song from “Banned in Bikini Bottom”. One thing that does bug me about the song though is the way SpongeBob and Patrick just stare at the camera while singing it. Like could they even pretend for two seconds like this song wasn’t just included because this is a special and it “needs” a song? It feels very cheap and shallow to have them singing when their performance is highlighted like this, if that makes sense. I don’t like it.
I like how this song has such a clear message, and yet I don’t feel the need to get on a soapbox. All I know is that the writers of this episode might be interested in a certain subreddit that I can’t say the name of because it has profanity in the title…
Anyway, the way Patrick just states the issue that the episode is addressing is…not as funny as I’m sure it was meant to be, but at least it gets everyone on the same page that this episode is ditching the subtlety. And I’m fine with that, not all messages need to be subtle. I just think that this episode chooses the wrong message not to be subtle with. You are UNDERWATER. Choose an environmental message about THE OCEAN if you’re going to be blatant about it. But maybe that’s just me. This episode is totally accurate in what it’s like to try and get people to take action on any kind of issue though…okay that’s my little soapbox, I’m done now. God 2020 was a nightmare. Okay now I’m done.
Actually I lied one more thing. The whole plot with the highway going over the Krusty Krab is very interesting considering that’s exactly what happened to certain Black communities in the US…okay now I’m done because I am not gonna get on that whole rant.
By the time Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob are confronting Plankton about the highway, the episode has been…alright so far. Nothing particularly funny has happened, but the plot is decently interesting. And I like the idea of having Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob team up against Plankton for different reasons for once, it gives SpongeBob more independence, and could lead to a conflict between Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob, which would make sense given that this is a special. Unfortunately, “SpongeBob’s Last Stand” makes like a season 6 episode and squanders this potential. What we get isn’t necessarily bad, but it isn’t as good as a Mr. Krabs-SpongeBob teamup.
Instead, we get the more predictable SpongeBob and Patrick teamup, which I thought was already happening considering the beginning of this episode, but okay. The song the two sing trying to save Jellyfish Fields is pretty good though. I can’t stand the looks that SpongeBob and Patrick end up wearing though, sorry not sorry. And the townspeople just piss me off because even if you’re not into the environmental activism, why are you acting like Republicans—I MEAN, why are you acting like jerkwads? Why do they want the highway this bad? When the consequences of their actions bite them in the butt you bet your ::dolphin noise:: I’m cackling.
SpongeBob and Patrick end up being dumped in the middle of nowhere, which simply galvanizes my ACAB tendencies but maybe that’s just me LMAO. But seriously, in what world is this an acceptable punishment for…unlicensed use of a sitar? At least we get a nice background out of it. Also, I just noticed that this is a special without Patchy…I feel like he was needed here because this is not exactly working. I mean it’s not bad, but it’s just so…meh. And of course, SpongeBob and Patrick are in their underwear for an extended period of time, which y'all know I'm not a fan of. The parade part is ridiculous (in a good or bad way, I don't know), and I feel like it will depend on my mood my judgement on if this part lasts too long. When I rewatched it, I thought it was okay, but I feel like that depends heavily. The speech part was just annoying though, like why are the townspeople this stupid? It’s not even funny.
I did like the imagery of the highway paving bringing Jellyfish Fields to environmental ruin. I thought that looked pretty cool. I feel like the very end of the paving part, with Patrick playing the trumpet, should’ve been where the episode cut to commercial break lol, but maybe that’s just me. Honestly I thought for the longest that that’s where the episode did cut to commercial. Anyway, back to talking about visuals, this episode is really expressive, especially in its second half, and I like that. I also liked how they kept the Krusty Krab in darkness the whole time, that was a good choice. Though this episode does kind of disregard the normal formation of the Krusty Krab and Chum Bucket being right across from each other, so I’m gonna have to take a few points off the visual category because of that lol (I don’t actually have categories that I quantify, just making a jokey joke).
I love that this episode continues with my favorite kind of joke with Mr. Krabs getting all serious and SpongeBob being dramatic about it, with Plan Z-niner niner. And I love how Squidward actually cares a little bit too, even a little bit later when he’s talking to SpongeBob while they leave the Krusty Krab. But seriously, that plan was insane. I feel like Mr. Krabs had other options??? And Plankton’s so smug about it too. At least, until the episode takes a turn…
Because now we’ve got the jellyfish here, and they’re angry. And I love it. I love how it’s basically the jellyfish who end up saving the day lol. It reminds me a lot of “Jellyfish Hunter” (which also had an environmental message that was done…better). It’s quite cathartic to watch this part of the episode, seeing how stupid and annoying the townspeople were earlier. They absolutely deserve this. And I love how Mr. Krabs leaves Plankton in the dust, and Plankton literally tries using his segway to get outta there, like boy try again. The way Mr. Krabs got up outta there makes me believe that this episode came after “Jellyfish Hunter”. Anyway, of course now that the townspeople are being stung, now they wanna save Jellyfish Fields. Yeah, y’all are transparent (and act exactly like people today, so…yeah). And I love how when they first say “no” even SpongeBob has to be like “y’all are joking right”.
This ending part of the episode, where characters just start walking out of the crowd, is pretty funny and almost feels like the show poking fun at itself for not utilizing some of its characters as of late. I love how Squidward doesn’t even appear lol. The ending is cute enough I suppose, with everyone singing the jellyfishing song. The group shot was neat.
“SpongeBob’s Last Stand” is…okay. I don’t have any problems that I can specifically point to here, I just didn’t find it to be a very funny episode, and the townspeople are frustrating as hell. But I thought it was very enjoyable for the most part, except for the parts where the townspeople make me want to strangle them. I also think this episode is probably underrated, because I never see anyone talk about it.
Episode Tier: Good
Episode Score: 7.6/10